PE Summit LE - flue temp question

[bcarp]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum but have enjoyed reading a bunch of great info so far, thanks everyone.

I recently purchased a new Summit LE EPA 2020 model with fan kit and have some questions on maintaining a hot flue. The stove is in the basement, has 36" vertical off the stove (double wall excel ultrablack) then a 90 and about 16" horizontal into a masonry chimney with a 6x10 clay liner, masonry chimney is about 18' tall to the cap. I have one probe themometer 20" above the flue collar.

I have been following BEGREEN's top down lighting method and I am mainly using dry lodgepole pine and spruce with the odd piece of douglas fir or birch - all has a moisture content of less than 16%.

I can get the fire going great, then shut the air down to about 85% at a flue temp of 500-600f. Typically the stove will hold there for about an hour, then after 2 hours its 400f, then at 3-4 hours its down to 200-250 and will stay at 200f with just a stove full of coals until morning (about 9 hrs after lighting). (I'm monitoring temps with a wifi camera and reviewing the footage in the morning, cannot believe there is not a smart stove thermometer available yet!). I have been leaving the fan on 'auto' at the lowest setting.

With the flue temp is hovering around the 200-250f mark for 5-6hours will it be creosoting the chimney? Is this a problem being that for the first 3-4 hours was in the 400-600 and its mainly just big blocky coals at the point when the temps drop? Its putting out lots of heat and that's not a concern, just worried about creosote.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

BCARP

 

[begreen]

Once the wood has passed the initial burn and outgassing stage and transitioned to the coaling stage, there is much less chance of creosote accumulating. The wood gases and tars that create creosote when condensing in a cold chimney have been boiled and burned off by that point. If you can get some tamarack or birch for next year you should see a hotter fire.

 

[bcarp]

Ok, thanks For the quick reply begreen. The other thing I forgot to mention is that my glass stays quite clean, a little black/brown in the bottom corners but not much really. I think that’s normal?

The stove is still kicking out a bunch of heat 9+hrs later with the softwoods so I’m excited to try a full load of Birch. It’s Just been very mild this year so when we get some -20c I’ll run a whole load of birch and see how that goes.

Trying to strike the balance between not overfiring at the start of a fire and keeping the flue temp in the sweet spot for as long as possible has been a fun experience with trial and error and I appreciate all the good info on this forum.

bcarp

 

[begreen]

Yes, it's a balancing act and one even the pros go through. Every fire will have it's own character due to the variations in the wood, outside temps, loading etc.

 

[coreboy83]

Hello, Sounds exactly like my Alderlea T5 LE. For us we have to practice "too much, too soon" for the air closure procedure. Easy re-lights in the morning and afternoon. We have put 2 cords through it this, our 1st full season. We've burned 24/7 since mid October in East Central Minnesota

 

[bcarp]

yes I have I have been trying something similar, only had this stove for 10 days so far. But I have knocked the air back too far too soon and then gradually open the air 1/4” at a time to get the temps back. It works but I also don’t want to be married to the air control lever either.

As much as I do love the Summit, I’ve noticed it is very easy to get flue temps up above 600 and they don’t always come down super quick either with the air completely off and the secondary burn in full steam. Maybe that’s a function of the very dry pine/spruce I’ve got, a lot of it is in the 10% mc range. During the lighting process if I walk away for the wrong 2 minutes I can come back to 700f+ quite easily- which has only happened a couple times, but it’s not like I had walked away for 30 minutes with the air wide open.

I’ll get it figured...just in time for summer I’m sure!